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Syed Munawar Hasan, 69 heads Jammaat-e-Islami Pakistan since 2009. Syed Munawar Hasan became a member of Jama’at-e-Islami Pakistan in 1967. Munawar was elected to the National Assembly in 1977 and was made the JI General Secretary in 1992. He began his political career as a student leader in Karachi University, where he received an MA degree in Sociology and Islamic Studies. He joined the JI during Ayub Khan’s regime, before which he was elected the president of the leftist National Students Federation.

Jammat-I-Islami Pakistan has won four seats in National Assembly out of 342 and eight seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province (KPP) of 124. In KPP Jmmat-i- Islami is in coalition with Imaran Khan’s party PTI.

In an exclusive interview to the author, while describing the political situation in Pakistan, he categorically said that Mia Nawaz Sharif’s government in Pakistan would not survive for long due to wrong policies.

Excerpts:

Q: The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Pakistan recently claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) did not full fill its responsibility with honesty during the general election 2013. Do you agree to EU EOM observation?

We fully agree with the EU, EOM observation. The ECP did not fulfill its responsibility to hold fair, free and transparent elections in Karachi, FATA and several other parts of the country and almost all the political parties of the country have reservations about the May 11 polls. The National Database & Registration Authority ( NADRA) report on a single NA seat from Karachi has revealed massive bogus voting, and same is the case in other Karachi seats. Supreme Court orders for fresh delimitation of constituencies in Karachi and verification of electoral rolls by the armed forces were not complied with.

Q: What are your expectations from a new political set up under Nawaz Sharif’s command?

Frankly, we did not expect much from Mian Nawaz Sharif, and even those who had pinned high hopes from the PML(N) leader have also been disappointed within four months of his rule. At the very beginning, the new government secured huge loan from the IMF. In compliance with the IMF conditionality, the government had been sharply raising POL prices and electricity tariff, causing a flood of price spiral and adding to the miseries of the people. If things remain unchanged, the present set up would not last long.

Q:What are new challenges for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif?

Terrorism is the biggest challenge for the present government because there can be no progress without peace and stability. Next are the energy crisis, price hike and poverty.

Q: How terrorism in Pakistan is going to be tackled under new regime.

An APC convened by the government last month had unanimously resolved to hold dialogue with the Taliban with the view that issues are always decided through talks. Military operations over the last twelve years have failed to resolve the issue. Instead, the situation has been getting complicated with the use of brute force. There are numerous instances in history where the conflicts between two parties, groups or states were resolved on the table.

Q: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-(F) chief Fazlur Rehman has criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where you party JI is in coalition, described about wrong policies, due to its ineligibility. The party was driving the province towards separation from the state. What are your comments?

This is a news to me. The JUI(F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has not given any statement alleging that the PTI was pushing the Khyber P. province towards separation.

Q: How difficult do you find to accommodate your party in National Assembly where you are in opposition and in PKK you are in coalition.

The Khyber P. government comprises the JI, PTI and the Qaumi Watan party. These three parties are in the opposition in the centre, and we don’t feel any problem in this coalition

Q: How would you tackle Taliban terror in North-western Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Dialogue with the Taliban is basically an issue concerning the federal government. FATA where the Taliban are active is directly under the centre and the provincial government can’t exercise its authority in this regard.

The Kashmir issue can be resolved provided India honestly wants to resolve it. However, the 65-years history of talks with India shows that India has always exploited the dialogue to while away the time. It had been continuously claiming Kashmir as its integral part, although the fact is that Kashmir is a disputed territory and India herself took the issue to the United Nations and the UN adopted resolutions in favour of holding plebiscite in Kashmir. However, India has been persistently obstructing plebiscite in Kashmir and is sticking to its stance due to which the issue remains unresolved. Therefore, its solution is not in sight at present.